School Board Approves Budget with a 5-2 Vote:

Wake School Board members approved Superintendent Tata's proposed $1.25 billion budget by a vote of 5-2 Tuesday night.Prior to the vote board member Dr. Anne McLaurin asked for an amendment to request more money from county commissioners before voting on a budget. That amendment was voted down 4-3. Board members Keith Sutton and Carolyn Morrison voted in favor along with McLaurin.The original budget was approved without that amendment.Before the budget vote the board unanimously voted in favor of a one time $500 bonus for teachers, funded with money collected in fines by the Wake County Court System.

During the public comment period Tuesday many parents and other citizens spoke to the board about the proposed budget and recommendation to covert five year-round schools to a single track system. Many who spoke on budget issues raised concerns about possible cuts that could reduce the number of assistant principals and teacher's assistants. Some suggested fighting for more money from Wake County Commissioners to help offset expected education cuts in the state budget. Others called on the board to push state lawmakers directly.

The superintendent's proposed $1.25 billion budget protects teachers, but would require cutting 46 central office, and reducing assistant principal contracts. That proposal is based on an estimated five percent cut from the state. A proposed house version of the budget could put it closer to nine percent. Tata has said it will be tough to protect classrooms if that number keeps climbing.

Some people also urged the board not to approve converting five under-utilized year-round schools to a single track system, citing concerns about a changing student assignment plan. Other parents spoke in support of the change saying it was a smart way to manage the underutilized schools to save money.

Recommended Changes to Student Transfer Policy:

Wake Schools staff reviewed possible changes to the school transfer policy with board members Tuesday. Most notably they recommended requiring the school board to approve any transfer initiated by a school or central office that involves the children of school board members, the superintendent, or the superintendent's leadership team. They also recommend adding a new required form to document all administration-initiated transfers.Superintendent Tony Tata suggested changing the way the system handles requests for students to transfer to different schools.The review was initiated after a school board member Debra Goldman made a verbal request for her daughter to switch schools. The review by Terri Cobb, the school district's chief of staff, concluded that nothing improper was done in Goldman's request, but the overall process could be improved."We determined that all recent transfers followed board policy, but I want to make changes that will clearly spell out the process to ensure consistency and maintain better transparency," Tata said in a statement.He recommended requiring that transfer requests be made in writing and that decisions to provide transportation for students who switch schools be judged on a case-by-base basis.The school system received nearly 12,000 transfer requests in the past three years and approved about 60 percent of them, according to Cobb's report. Both the number of requests and the rate of approval increased during that period.

Tata updates possible year-round school changes:

Superintendent Tony Tata recommended the school board vote to convert five year-round schools to a single track schedule Tuesday. The board is expected to take action on this during the full school board meeting that starts at 5:30p.m.

Those schools are:

Alston Ridge

Highcroft

Lake Myra

Rand Road

Timber Drive

Tata originally proposed changing the schedule of 14 underutilized year-round schools for the 2011-2012 school year to save about $50,000 per school. Parents of students at those schools were asked to complete online surveys about the possible change. Tata says in addition to parent feedback his staff also considered surveys from teachers and principals as well as information on projected growth vs. capacity, expected growth, sibling feeder patterns, and how the change might fit into any reassignment plan.

The idea of converting year-round schools is a controversial one that has drawn some criticism. The community group Great Schools in Wake County has raised concerns about the move and asked Tata to put the issue on hold until reassignment plans are complete.The Superintendent recommends changing the schedule for the five schools for two years to see how well it works.

Because of the late change, Tata says they would work with families to excuse absences due to vacations or other plans already scheduled based on the current schedule.

Wake School Board Discussions Underway:

Board members are meeting Tuesday for a 3:00p.m. work session followed by the monthly public meeting at 5:30p.m. Among the top priorities will be voting to approve a new budget for the next fiscal year.

First up is the work session with the following agenda items up for discussion:

Revisions of the 2010-2013 Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program Plan

Under that budget, the school district would cut 46 central services clerical positions, reduce contract months for assistant principals and reduce per-student spending by $52 next year, Tata said, while funneling additional resources toward teacher retention in under-enrolled schools and creating new technology and international studies programs in 10 schools.

To save even more money Tata has proposed converting 14 underutilized year-round schools to a single track schedule. The schools in question are Alston Ridge, Ballentine, Banks Road, East Garner, Harris Creek, Highcroft, Lake Myra, Rand Road, River Bend, Timber Drive, Wakefield and West Lake elementary schools and East Cary and Holly Grove middle schools.

The single track, Tata said, would help save $50,000 per school by lowering staffing expenses.

Some community groups have asked Tata to put that plan on hold for now until a reassignment plan is complete. The Superintendent is expected to update his recommendations Tuesday after considering parent feedback surveys. The board will be asked to take action on this too.

The board will also be asked to approve a one time $500 bonus for teachers as part of Tata's budget. That money comes from fines collected by the Wake County Court System.

Credits

Reporter

Mike Charbonneau

Copyright 2011 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

RemyMay 4, 2011

superman- why don't you head on off to one of those states with no income tax? Easier to complain I guess.

supermanMay 4, 2011

We dont have kids but 80% of our property taxes go to pay for your childrens education. I hope you appreciate the handout. They were able to find enough money for the $500 bonus for the teachers, lost a 30 million federal grant and threw away another 3 million when they changed the location of a new high school. Seems the school board has more money than they know what to do with. Maybe they can discontinue the lemon-lime kool-aid at the board meetings. It is about time that parents pay more for their childs education than I do. The state needs to get rid of the deduction for dependents. People with children need to begin to support them.

cjw6105May 3, 2011

Year-round (or magnet) schools are great for those who are allowed to choose them, but not so for those who are forced into them with no other alternative. Kids deserve placement in a school that is close to home and offers the best chance of academic success per the parents, not forced assignment 12 miles away in schools whose programs set the stage for failure.

Living in a "satellite node", my kids were not allowed to attend our closest middle school, 3 miles away, but were assigned 12 miles away. Year-round option by transfer was our only alternative, which was successful only because of special medical needs. It was a hateful and degrading process.

There is enough money in Wake County to allow every child access to an area school and a desired program, whether it be traditional, magnet or year-round. Their color, ethnic background or socio-economic status shouldn't have anything to do with it.

The previous school board prevented our school choice, but not our vote choice.

RonnieRMay 3, 2011

The General did not say convert to traditional nor modified calender. He said just put one track in the schools. AFAIK only year around schools have tracks, therefore they will still be year around, but only have one track due to lack of students.

ddm76May 3, 2011

I have 3 children. A kindergartner on track 3, a 5th grade on track 4 (same school) and a 6th grader on traditional. Not to mention I am also a working single mom. You just make it work. No whining, no crying, no "this isnt fair" you buck up, put your big girl panties on and deal with it. (the K and 5th grader go to one of the schools on the list, just fyi) ---Compressed Air

And there you have it. I know many people here that need to put on their big girl panties and deal with things. Kudos to you for juggling it all. It will make you and your kids stronger for it.

Compressed AirMay 3, 2011

RE: If you had/have more than 1 child and they were in different level schools, on different tracks, and you don't have a preference or concern over the 2 different schedules you will be one of 12 in the entire county

I have 3 children. A kindergartner on track 3, a 5th grade on track 4 (same school) and a 6th grader on traditional. Not to mention I am also a working single mom. You just make it work. No whining, no crying, no "this isnt fair" you buck up, put your big girl panties on and deal with it. (the K and 5th grader go to one of the schools on the list, just fyi)

ddm76May 3, 2011

How are they not created equally? Don't they all go the same amount of days as required by the BOE? I know when I went to register her for school, I got to look at a calendar to see which track was in session at what times. I can't help it if other parents don't utilize information sent out by the WCPSS when making an informed decision. I only have one and ain't gonna have any more. If someone can't manage their 3 kids, maybe they shouldn't have chosen to have 3 kids.

"You "career minded" parents look at it as a babysitter and that's clear to most of us. Where do your kids spend all 3 weeks when they are out each time, track camps? Those are just another baby sitter for "career minded" people who can't raise their own kids." - 5 Dollar Gas Is Your Fault

Now read what I replied with, again and see if you understand it.

Bring on the 4 Dollar GasMay 3, 2011

All tracks are not created equally. You obviously don't know some of the dirty little secrets. but let's put those issues aside. If you had/have more than 1 child and they were in different level schools, on different tracks, and you don't have a preference or concern over the 2 different schedules you will be one of 12 in the entire county. No family wants their family passing each other in the hallway and like our communities divided thanks to year round school and the many different schedules Wake County attempts to operate.

As for the rest of your comments, whut?

ddm76May 3, 2011

If you had the reading comprehension of a 3rd grader, you would have known that is not what I said. Track1 is just as good as tracks 2,3,& 4. I had no preference over which track she was assigned to. As far as the middle school track issue, same deal. I don't care which track she will be assigned to. However, at that age, I plan to allow her to make her own decision as to what calendar option she would like and what track she would prefer. During her track out times, she has the opportunity to go visit her grandparents and family that lives 800 miles away. That usually eats up about 2.5 weeks of the time. The reminder is spent with me, at home (not that it is your business).

Your "explanation" of how career-minded parents view their children's education is skewed. I'm sorry your parents didn't pay enough attention to you growing up. Did they too have to work outside of the home in order to provide for their family or was that before the cost of living rose dramatically?

Bring on the 4 Dollar GasMay 3, 2011

The bottom line is this, Wake County used to have a great school system. Thanks to policies set forth from previous school leaders, many against parents desires, it is now one of the most chaotic systems in the country. People with kids moving here be warned. Be very warned.